DailyGrommet.com: Storytelling sales

DailyGrommet.com sells food, home décor and other products that are relatively unknown, and uses video and editorial content to tell the tales behind the items. A recent two-minute video, for instance, sings the praises of a handmade wooden baby rattle, with commentary not only from the retailer but also the product’s creator. Editorial description on the product page further rounds out the pitch. “Products on a shelf can’t talk, right?” says Joanne Domeniconi, Daily Grommet’s co-founder. “This is about getting the voice of the creator to the consumer.” The philosophy of the 4-year-old e-retailer is intriguing enough that in 2012 DailyGrommet.com attracted an unspecified investment from Japan-based Rakuten Inc., which owns U.S.-based online marketplace Buy.com.